The word awesome gets used too much, or maybe that is just in my house, as the father of an 11-year-old and a 10-year-old. But overused or not, there is no better word to describe Saturday’s racing at Belmont Park.
California Chrome had a final schooling session in the Belmont Park paddock on Friday before going out for his daily gallop as he prepared for the 146th Belmont Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park, in which the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner will try to become the 12th horse to sweep the Triple Crown.
The pick six sequence at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day is entirely comprised of Grade 1 races, culminating with the Belmont Stakes.
One member of the Ride On Curlin team who hasn’t needed to familiarize himself with Belmont Park is jockey John Velazquez, who will be aboard the colt for the first time Saturday. Velazquez is looking for his third Belmont Stakes victory.
Kenny Peck's late pick four ticket for Belmont Stakes Day at Belmont Park.
If Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey were riding California Chrome, he knows the tactics he would use with the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner from post No. 2.
Six years ago, the last time a Triple Crown was on the line in the Belmont Stakes, the “fan experience,” as it is fashionably termed, could have been a whole lot better – and that had little to do with Big Brown failing to finish the Belmont as a huge favorite. But when Chris Kay took over last year as president and chief executive of NYRA, he emphasized that the fan experience would be foremost on his priority list.
Fantasy meets reality on Saturday in the 146th Belmont Stakes here at Belmont Park, where California Chrome tries become the 12th Triple Crown winner and end a 36-year drought.
California Chrome jogged a mile, schooled in the starting gate like an old pro, then galloped another 1 1/4 miles and looked good doing it over the wet track.
Robert Evans, the owner of Tonalist, recalled a conversation he had with the colt’s trainer, Christophe Clement, shortly after Tonalist won a maiden race by an eye-catching four lengths Jan. 18 at Gulfstream Park.
